TODAY'S PERSONAL FINANCE STORIES

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CBS.MarketWatch.com

Now that we're four days into the new year, it's time to make good on one of the resolutions we know you made for your personal finances -- tackling your taxes early. To keep up with the Internal Revenue Service - and guard against surprises - getting a head start is important, especially after a year of heavy investment losses and new reforms. To kick off 2002, we at CBS.MarketWatch.com have given our Tax Guide a new look and packed it with some timely reports and tips. Don't miss this weekend's edition for insight on how to manage portfolio losses, avoid the dreaded alternative minimum tax and cash in on e-filing's quicker returns. Check it out, along with the third report in our hiring series on U.S. cities expected to attract jobseekers, insurance tips for new parents, and our new weekly real estate highlights, in this weekend's Personal Finance pages.

You can't put tax planning off too much longer - your W-2 will soon be on its way...

Tax season leaves many at a loss

New York: Welcome to the twilight zone. Not long ago, you were panic-stricken about how much tax you owed on technology stock gains. Now, for 2001 you have more tech losses than you ever thought possible. See full story.

Beware the dreaded AMT

New York: Now is the time to sit down with your professional tax preparer, or with your tax-preparation software, and estimate whether you may hit with a rabid punch by the dreaded alternative minimum tax -- for both the income you earned in 2001 and will earn in 2002. See full story.

Anthrax scare boosts e-filing

New York: Internet-related stocks may have drained your investment portfolio in 2001, but the Net can definitely return your tax refund quicker than the U.S. Postal Service. See full story.

Destination: Steady paycheck

San Francisco: Just as Oklahomans moved to California in the 1930s and Southern Californians left for greener pastures after the defense industry collapsed a decade ago, many laid-off Americans today are considering relocation to find work. See full story.

Retiring boomers feel the squeeze

Chicago: Baby boomers have had a lot going for them as their generation progressed through life's stages. And they're going to have a lot coming at them when it comes to retirement. See full story.

One lousy year for fund investors

New York: The fourth quarter saw some spectacular gains, but they were hardly large enough to correct a disastrous year for most mutual-fund investors. See full story.

Insurance needs for new parents

West Hartford, Conn.: Having a baby is a life-altering event. So is being uninsured. So if you had a baby in 2001, now is the time to examine your new life and health insurance needs. See full story.

Five insurance mistakes made by new parents

West Hartford, Conn.: Attaining, maintaining and modifying insurance policies is important when you have a newborn on the way or in your arms. Insurance experts note these five common mistakes that parents-to-be and newborn mom and dads frequently make. See full story.

Airlines looses frequent flier rules

Washington: Business travelers may not be flying as much these days, but airlines are helping them hold on to precious frequent flier benefits. See full story.

Big surprises come with small caps

Chicago: For Heartland Value Fund's Bill Nasgovitz, small-cap stocks carry the biggest rewards, particularly when they're industry leaders selling at a fraction of their own price-to-earnings yields. See full story.

Marshall Loeb's Daily Money Tip

New York: State-sponsored 529 plans, which allow families and individuals to build up tax-advantaged savings for college, have expanded. Beginning this year, withdrawals to pay for college costs will be totally free of federal income taxes. See full story.

Plenty of resolutions fly around the New Year, most dealing with personal habits such as dieting and smoking. But it can also pay to make a few resolutions about your home. Among the things that can keep you and your home humming -- and your pocketbook protected -- are energy audits and mortgage document reviews. Plus, if your house is anywhere near as cluttered as mine, putting together an inventory of your possessions is a great idea, both for record-keeping in the event of a disaster and as a way to help you purge all that stuff for which you have no obvious use. Check our Resident Authority column, along with features on mortgage rates, appraisals and banks in real estate.

Steve Kerch, Real Estate Editor, skerch@marketwatch.com

Five resolutions for homeowners in 2002

Chicago: A house demands constant care and must be fed with a steady stream of currency. As you're making your to-do lists for 2002, add these five resolutions to keep your home at its peak and your pocketbook in the pink.

Banks vs. Realtors: Lessons for consumers

Lending initiatives combat predatory mortgages

New Orleans: Homeowners who have been the victim of predatory lending practices may be eligible to refinance their onerous mortgages into less-costly conventional loans under pilot programs being tested in several cities around the country.

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